


Just Pretending

by ufomoth



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: M/M, ily and enjoy this wild hidekane ride, this'll get rly gay I promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 03:36:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3472988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ufomoth/pseuds/ufomoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Out of the blue, Kaneki visits Hide much to his surpise, and they find themselves in a week long situation where they have to pretend to be a couple to hunt the 'Valentine Ghoul' and possibly save the lives of many. But will they only be pretending for long? (Canon divergence/slight AU, set after Hide started working for the CCG. Spoilers inside so don't read if you're not up for that!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reunion

Kaneki groaned and rolled onto his side, the couch hard and unfamiliar, a familiar smell looming over him. His eyes creaked open and he looked around, realizing quickly that this was an apartment. But not just any apartment, he figured looking at a large stack of CD’s and a half eaten slice of pizza left on the counter, this was Hide’s apartment. He saw the warm summer sun streaming through and the sleek black phone on the table next to him. At that moment, he wondered why the hell he was even there in the first place. He couldn’t really recall how he got there, and felt uneasy, wondering where Hide even was in the first place. But his question was soon answered when Hide stepped into the living room in his pajamas, with a cup of orange juice in his hand, almost as bright as his hair. “Oh you’re awake!” Hide said, evidently surprised.

“Yeah, I am. Uh how did I get here...?” Kaneki asked, and noticed Hide was staring at something at his chest, and Kaneki followed his gaze and quickly cringed when he noticed there was blood splattered on it.

“I dunno, you kinda just showed up. You kept saying how you were hungry or whatever and left, then came back like 2 hours later and crashed on my couch.” Hide explained in an entirely too casual manner. But Kaneki didn’t particularly notice, as he was now internally panicking, wondering what or who he could've ate. Was the blood on his shirt even his? Or was it his victim from last night? He glanced at Hide who was still staring at him, his ridiculous space rocket pajamas clashing with his orange juice.

“Why do you even have those pajamas still? I got those for you when we were 14,” Kaneki asked, running a hand through his hair, suddenly frustrated at the both of him, himself for possibly  _eating_ someone, and Hide for being so brightly colored this early in the day.

“I just like them I guess. I haven’t grown since I was 14 so might as well keep them...” Hide explained, taking a seat on the couch next to Kaneki as soon as he sat up.

“Do you have any shirts I could borrow?” Kaneki asked plainly, the citric smell of orange juice filling his nose and making his nose crinkle in disgust.

“Yeah, I actually have a really old shirt of yours on the back of my closet. Hold on, let me get it for you. Would you mind holding this?” Hide handed his orange juice over, and walked over to the bedroom, his unbrushed hair sticking up straight in some parts and laying completely flat in others. Kaneki faintly smiled, remembering how the first time he slept over, he teased Hide for having such messy hair. Before he could lament over the past any further, Hide came back with a long sleeved black shirt, and he wondered if his style has always been this monotone. “Thanks.” He mumbled, trading the orange juice for the shirt.

He easily slid his own shirt off, throwing it next to him. As he begin putting on the shirt he was offered, he could see in the corner of his eyes that Hide was staring at his uncovered torso with no subtlety, and he suddenly felt self conscious. Was there something wrong with the way he looked? Too skinny or pale perhaps? Maybe some of the cuts he had from all the fights he had disgusted Hide, and he couldn’t help but look in revulsion. He slid the shirt over himself sufficiently, it being a little small on him but comfortable enough, and leaned back into the couch.

“So, how’s it been going?” Hide asked, finally tearing his eyes away and staring at the cup in his hand.

“It’s been...going I guess. I’m not dead, so I guess that’s all I can hope for.” Kaneki joked darkly, laughing a little to himself.

“Why’s that all you can hope for? Isn’t that kind of sad?” Hide asked softly.

“I guess,” Kaneki sighed and closed his eyes, “But that’s the most I can ask for. If I ask for much more I know I’ll just end up disappointed.” He opened his eyes and turned his head to stare at Hide, who was already looking at him with a sad smile.

“Well by some stroke of luck you’re here now! So you better start getting your hopes up for way more, because you’re here with your good pal Hide.” Kaneki almost wanted to believe and buy into his happiness, but he knew if he let his guard down and became vulnerable it would be the death of him, or something of the like, so he simply nodded, and went back to staring straight ahead.

“How about you? How’s it been going?” Kaneki asked quietly.

There was a lapse of silence and Hide stumbled over his answer, “Well I-um, I’ve...joined the CCG.” Kaneki snapped his head so fast towards Hide that he almost got whiplash and felt his heart race and fear pump through him. Why the hell would Hide joined the CCG? Noticing the waves of uneasiness radiating from Kaneki, he added, “I joined it only so I could find you. I didn’t join it because I like hunting ghouls or anything.”

Kaneki froze, realizing the implications of what he just said. So if Hide joined the CCG to find him...does that mean he knows that he’s a ghoul now? “Hide, I think I have to go,” Kaneki muttered, nauseous and anxious. Before he could make a run for it, Hide firmly grasped his wrist and stared meaningfully up at him.

“Please don’t go Kaneki, I don’t care if you’re a ghoul, you’re my friend and I care about you.” There was an uncertain vulnerability to Hide’s voice, and Kaneki stared at him and couldn’t help but believe him. So he really did know he was a ghoul....and he didn’t care. But how did Hide know he was a ghoul? Hide then added, “Or at least stay for this week, I need your help with this mission I have to do. If you wanna leave after that, I’ll get it. I won’t stop you.” His voice sounded heavier than Kaneki’s ever heard before, and it was making Kaneki almost feel guilty.

“No, I’ll stay. What do you need help with? Also...how did you figure out I was a...a ghoul?” Kaneki asked, his voice cracking on the last word and sat back down on the couch, Hide still not having let go of his wrist.

“I figured out that day Nishio kicked my ass and I was healing up in Anteiku,” He mumbled, but then sheepishly added, “I need help with this mission for the CCG, to go to a couples therapy resort to snake out a binge eater called the ‘Valentines Ghoul’. It’s about a week long and no one’s willing to help.”

Kaneki’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline; Hide has known for that long!? Yet he really doesn’t care? Kaneki had his doubts. But instead of addressing them and making the situation ever tenser, he plastered on a smile and said, “I mean...thank you Hide. I was expecting you to call the CCG on me and hate me forever when you found out.” As the second part of what Hide said registered, Kaneki could feel a blush rising to his cheeks, “Wait and you want me to do what exactly?”

Realizing he was still holding his wrist, Hide speedily let go and firmly planted his hands on his side, a blush of his own adorning his cheeks, “ I could never hate you man, I love you too much, in the least homo way possible of course.” His blush worsened and he mumbled, “We have to pretend to be dating in order to be able to do this mission. Still no homo so don’t get any ideas!”

Kaneki smiled at Hide’s awkwardness that he was sure only he truly knew about, and said, “Don’t worry Hide, you wouldn’t be my type anyways.” They both laughed and it almost seemed like old times for a moment.

“We should pack, the mission starts tomorrow and it’s a 2 hour drive.” Hide warned. Kaneki felt strangely warm and unusually happy, happier than he’s felt in months, and wondered how he deserved such a great friend. So they got going and ignored all the trouble in the meantime, instead listening to whatever music Hide had to offer, which was about 7 hours worth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you saw the momentarily effed up version, it's fixed now! Anyways thank you so much everyone and please let me know how I could improve <3 Remember to get enough sleep and drink enough water!! (Idk what to else to put so goodbye my peeps)


	2. Failed Escapes and Serenading

After taking all day to pack, they settled into a strained silence. Or at least Kaneki thought it was strained. What were they supposed to talk about even? He realized just how stupid this all seemed to be, plus he felt like he was imposing on Hide for literally just stumbling in like that, so he felt equally as guilty too. Plus, Hide knew...oh shit, Hide really actually knew. After thinking about it for a moment, the familiar feeling of paranoia easily coiled in his stomach. Was he going to report him to the CCG? Is that why he wants to take him on this mission? It’d be the perfect excuse to do so, especially since this whole mission was connected to the CCG in the first place. Maybe if he just slipped out and left without Hide noticing...

“Hey Kaneki, I set out the futon for you, for when you’re ready to sleep!” Hide burst into his small, surprisingly depressing bedroom, and Kaneki knew he couldn’t leave. Not like that anyways, not when Hide could see or hear him leave. Or maybe, he wasn’t sure, but maybe he could leave during the night time? When he could forego the goodbyes and stay at some motel where he wouldn’t have Hide to worry about possibly spilling his secret.

“Thanks Hide, I...I’ll um, go lie down. G’night.” Kaneki muttered, walking past Hide and walking into the dimly lit living room.

“Night!” Hide said from his bedroom, gently shutting the door behind him.

Kaneki eased onto the futon and felt his heart tug at the memories, of how he and Hide would huddle up on this futon on winter nights and mornings, sleeping next to each other and watching horror movies. Hide would scream at anything that moved after watching one, and Kaneki would always try his best to comfort him, just to finally get scared on his own. How far away it all seemed. It seemed like more than a lifetime since they’ve done that yet it’s really only been about a year or so. It’s weird how much can seem to pass within a year he thought. But his thoughts drifted off and his eyes fluttered closed, and any hopes for escaping into the icy Tokyo streets diminished that night as he got his first great sleep in months.

 

He woke up the next morning with sun streaming into his eyes, and _only_ his eyes, and he suddenly very much despised the sun. Why did it have to shine directly and only in his eyes? Why not on his feet or something? They were so cold that he was positive they needed the warmth. He groaned and rolled over, also realizing he didn’t manage to escape, and thought he probably wouldn’t even be able to if he tried. Despite his paranoia about Hide and his vexing knowledge about him being a ghoul, he really deeply knew Hide wouldn’t betray him like that. Besides, if Hide’s known this long wouldn’t he have told the CCG already?

He tore himself away from his thoughts and sat up, really inspecting the room around him. Had Hide’s apartment always been this empty? Sure there was a stack of CD’s here and there, along with a pile of dirty dishes and some actual books (much to Kaneki’s surprise), there wasn’t much else. The ceiling and the furniture were insanely dusty with a few hidden cobwebs and some empty beer bottles in a corner or two, along with one of the remote batteries for the T.V. a few feet away from it for some reason. Not that Kaneki was too surprised, he knew Hide didn’t care that he was messy, just never quite this level of not-caring. But his inspection was stopped short when Hide entered the room, this time in grey sweats and a green shirts instead of ridiculous pajamas, and he yawned.

“G’morning,” he muttered, sludging over to the kitchen.

“Morning.”

“How’d you sleep?” Hide asked, taking out some cereal and some milk.

“I slept better than usual. You?” Kaneki answered, shifting to face Hide.

“Better than usual too I guess.” Hide quickly poured his milk and cereal and almost seemed to vacuum it down with fierce determination, and once he was done, left the bowl in the sink on top of the almost toppled several other bowls, and did nothing else with it.

Kaneki cringed and offered, “Do you want me to do the dishes for you...?”

Hide blushed from embarrassment and quickly said, “No! I just haven’t gotten around to it yet!”

“Okay, well if you do need help, let me know. Uh, what time are we leaving for the mission?” Kaneki asked, smoothly changing topics.

“Oh crap!” Hide exclaimed, “We have to leave like right now. We were supposed to leave an hour ago.” He began drumming his fingers, his brows scrunched together and appearing to be deep in thought. He then got up and said, “I’m gonna get ready. You should too.”

So Kaneki did, keeping on the same shirt from last night and peeling out of his old pants and underwear. He stretched a little and eyed the clean pair of pants and boxer briefs that were distinctly _Hide’s_ because of the little stupid sports logo on them, and he felt kinda weird for putting on _his_ underwear. Not only did he feel weird, but he also felt something else, something he didn’t want to particularly identify that made his heart race. So instead of thinking about it much more, he slipped the articles of clothing on, and grabbed for the conveniently available brush, which also happened to be Hide’s, not to his surprise since it was his apartment.

A few moments later, as he was using a spare toothbrush and some ancient deodorant that he left there awhile ago, Hide knocked on the bathroom door and asked if he was ready to go. After Kaneki spat out the toothpaste that tasted like shit (he wasn’t sure if it was because of his ghoulish tastebuds or that it genuinely tasted so terrible), he answered, “Yeah, I’ll be right out.”

He then stepped out and he immediately noticed Hide looking him up and down, Kaneki again wondering if he was being scrutinized like last night when he switched shirts. Why did Hide keep doing that? Was there something wrong with him or with how he looked? Why did Hide keep _looking_ at him like that? Before he could stop himself, he quietly asked, “H-Hide? Why do you keep looking at me like that? Do I look weird or something?” He realized how insecure his question sounded and immediately felt stupid for even asking, guessing that if there really was something wrong with how he looked, Hide would probably mention it.

Hide’s entire face flushed and he stuttered out, “W-what, no dude! You look good, that’s all.”

Kaneki’s eyes widened. _Oh, Hide was checking me out. What the hell_ , he thought, his own face heating up and his heart stupidly racing a little. He smiled awkwardly and muttered, “Um, thanks...You look good too, I think.” He quickly walked past Hide and gathered his stuff, trying to calm his stupid heart and the stupid warmth in his face. _So stupid, why am I even reacting this way?_ he thought, _probably because I’m so awkward, that’s why. Best friends probably do that all the time, right? Look at each other like that...?_

He shoved the thoughts aside and grabbed Hide’s rolling travel case with his free hand, and handed it to Hide, who was staring at the ground with an unusual frown on his face. But as soon as Hide realized what was being handed to him, he perked up and asked, “Ready to go now?” Kaneki nodded and followed Hide, noticing on the way out that his blood stained shirt from last night was somehow now sitting in pristine condition on the kitchen counter. Did Hide really clean his shirt that fast...? But how? Maybe when he was brushing his teeth or something... "Hey Hide? Uh thanks for cleaning my shirt," Kaneki muttered rather awkwardly.

 

 

Hide nodded and flashed a grin. "No problem man, anything to help out!" 

Once they went down the rickety old elevator that always got Kaneki’s nerves on edge, even with his new circumstances that made him fear very few things, they reached ground level and exited through the front door into the parking lot. To their right was Hide’s old car that his parents helped him pay for, and except for a few scratches, it looked brand new. “Haven’t driven this in forever,” Hide admitted, “I usually just ride my bike. I honestly don’t even remember the last time I drove...”

“Do you...still remember how to drive?” Kaneki asked, slightly uneasy.

“What!? Yeah of course Kaneki, you can’t just _forget_ how to drive. I'm out of practice is all!” Hide reassured with his trademark grin, walking over to unlock the trunk where they could store their stuff.

“If you say so,” Kaneki mumbled, entirely unsure whether he even remembered if Hide ever earned his drivers license in the first pace. Pushing aside his worries since it was too late now, Kaneki slipped into the passenger seat and Hide into the drivers. He clicked the key to the right and the car rumbled to life, it spluttering out smoke for a minute or two before it finally calmed down.

Just as Hide started trying to back out, he instead drove forward, almost running over the small curb and into the wall. “Woops! It was accidentally in drive,” Hide said sheepishly and switched gears, starting to actually back out. Kaneki couldn’t help but worry for his life a little.

After about 20 minutes of driving through quiet streets, Kaneki asked, “How long till we get there?”

“About an hour and a half. Why?” Hide asked as he turned onto a small street surrounded by massive, shady trees.

“No reason.”

“Why, are you getting bored?” Hide wondered, a grin forming on his face, “because I can serenade you if you want.”

Kaneki groaned and leaned his head against the seat, “ _Please_ don’t serenade me Hide.”

“Too late!” And with that, Hide burst into song, mostly singing songs from their childhood and common songs that Hide knew got on Kaneki’s nerves.

After another hour or so of Hide constantly singing, Kaneki wasn’t sure if he could handle it anymore. “ _What is love~? Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more~_ ” Hide belted out, barely focusing on the road, laughing everytime Kaneki groaned or sighed, “You know you love it Kanekiii!”

Kaneki shook his head and muttered, “Anything but that song...”

Hide perked up, “Really? You really mean _anything_ ~?”

Kaneki nodded and closed his eyes, leaning further into the chair. “Well you said anything, so you can’t go back on your word!” Hide warned and cleared his throat prepping for a whatever he was going to sing. Then at the top of his lungs, he began singing completely off-key, “ _I’m a Barbie Girl, in a barbie world~! Life is plastic, it’s fantastic~ You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere-_ ” Before he could continue any further, Kaneki shoved his hand over Hide’s mouth and moaned a ‘shut up’.

“Aw Ken you don’t like my singing? I’m so hurt.” Hide said muffled under Kaneki's hand, mock offended, now simply humming the tune to the previous song.

“Remind me not take any road trips with you,” Kaneki grumbled, removing his hand and turning his head to stare out the window.

“You’re no fun! But anyways, we’re here, so I promise I’ll stop singing, For now,” Hide smiled mischievously and parked the car in front of a large pale blue complex, with a beautiful garden filled with numerous flowers. As Kaneki stared at the garden in wonder, he noticed a strange combination; the large yellow sunflowers next to the black dahlia's (He only knew the type because his aunt grew them), and went over to look at them more closely. He frowned, noticing how strangely wilted they both were compared to the rest of the flowers and he couldn't help but wonder how the gardener let such beautiful flowers wilt like that. Especially the Black Dahlia's, they looked almost dead...Maybe he’d water it some point during the week. But his sights were cast aside when he saw the grand walkway to the front of the complex with two people talking outside it, who appeared to be a very irate lesbian couple.

“You ready to be my date for a week?” Hide said with some sort of emotion that Kaneki couldn’t identify.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Kaneki said, stepping foot outside the car into the fresh air, faraway from Tokyo now. Hide joined, and then the two of them went to retrieve their stuff from the trunk. Hide set his backpack down and locked the car and went forward, Kaneki following shortly behind. They stood in front of the two massive white doors and Kaneki tentatively swung one open, stepping inside the air conditioned structure, suddenly feeling nervous. _This is it_ , he thought, _time to pretend to be your best friends boyfriend. Don’t fuck up._

**  
  
  
  
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**Author's Note:**

> Okay if you read the effed up version then sorry about that, I accidentally deleted the first chapter and had to try to resolve it as quick as possible, so sorry for any confusion! Anyways goodbye my lovelies and hope you enjoy the new chapter <3


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